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Mining group slams Colorado official's call for more regulations after spill

Following a column from Gwen Lachelt, a La Plata County commissioner in Colorado,
calling for stricter legislation on modern mining operations, the Colorado
Mining Association (CMA) recently slammed her arguments, calling instead for
Good Samaritan legislation.

The column is a response to the causes and
effects of the Gold King Mine spill, which released waters laced with heavy
metals into the Animas river. The CMA said Lachelt’s column does not
take into account the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) role in the
release, which occurred during inspection activities.

Furthermore, the CMA emphasizes the regulations
under which current mining operations are conducted, which cover their
activities from commencement to mine closure. These laws provide for
environmental protection and include assurance measures such as bonds that are
significant enough to cover restoration costs.

While these regulations are now in place
for modern mining operations, there were no environmental laws during the late
1800s and early 1900s, when many mines, including the Gold King Mine, were
operational. The CMA argues that placing more regulations on modern mines will
do little to address these existing issues. Instead, the organization is pushing
for Good Samaritan legislation and the removal of disincentives in federal laws
so that mining companies can build on previous partnerships with states and
conservation groups to address sites in need of restoration.

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